


White Lioness

by 0925mv0320



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bisexual Lance (Voltron), F/F, F/M, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Gay Keith (Voltron), M/M, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2020-10-17 11:24:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20620247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0925mv0320/pseuds/0925mv0320
Summary: Evelyn was 11 when her mother died and she moved in with Lance.12, when she left earth and went on to the stars.When she was 13 she lost everything to the Galra Empire.At 16 she found Voltron, and her cousin the Blue Paladin.-I left earth, I ran.  I wanted to find something better, a place where my parents weren’t dead. Where I could discover who I was. It was perfect when I found them. There’s this unfortunate thing about having something, someplace, someone.It can be gone in an instant. The Galran Empire took everything I had, and they’d take everything I’d left behind. So wiped I the blood off my face and fought back. I knew I could lose myself by doing that. What I didn’t expect to have my past catch up to me.





	1. Voltron You Say?

Prologue: Voltron You Say?

Sand, wet sand. 

There's salt too, in the breeze. Something cold slides over my feet, water?

What?

A clearer picture formed. An ocean where small waves flowed back and forth. A beach, one from my summers. Laughter entered my ears. 

Turning around I see Lance. He's young, smiling. He's running, running from me? A younger version of me chases him across the sand. He stuck his tongue out, so younger me pushed their legs faster. I watched as we both crashed together, tumbling into the ocean. 

I'm smiling, laughing, as I splash more water at him. Our clothes soaked. I start running toward the memory, to Lance and I. 

When I step in the water, it dragged me. 

Down, farther, darker. It clamped onto my legs. The light fades, and Lance and I disappeared from sight. 

No, let me go, leT ME GO. I NEED AIR. PLEAS-

My eyes snap open, the pressure still in my lungs. A few shaky breathes push away the dream. I pulled myself up, looking around the small room. Yesterday's memories came back, as does the pain of the two real bullet grazes on my left shin.

Slipping out of the space hotel bed I went to the sanitation room. Taking off the old bandages and cleaning the wounds was simple enough. The color of the wounds was nearly black, a natural thing for my mixed-species heritage. Trailing my eyes up I glance at the bruises on my torso. They looked well enough for me to head out today.

Putting on clothes was difficult. Anytime I brushed against a sensitive patch of skin I winced. Just another typical morning. There's a slight limp in my walk as I look at the pile of blankets on the floor.

"Leon," a small white lion poked his nose out from under the blankets, "We need to get going."

His light sensors start to fire up. He imitated a small yawn, then trotted over. Double-checking my bag, then one last glance around the place. Satisfied, I slip an eye patch over my right eye. 

"Here Leon," bending down I secure his cloak around him before pulling mine on. Leaving the hotel we melded into the crowd, no trace that we were there.

After a varga on the city streets, the pain dulled to a light throbbing. A few more turns before I spotted the familiar alley. In the camera blind spot, there was a tunnel entrance. Leon jumped in first, after a check to see the alley empty I followed. The light that escapes Leon's cloak gave a dim view of the footholds as he leaped down. It's minute of climbing down before Leon makes a whirring sound. Letting go my feet hit the floor. The bandages on my leg flare with pain.

Bullets, right.

"You're early." Whipping around at the sound, my bayard is already drawn. 

"I could've stabbed you Ehrihn," I say placing my bayard back on my belt, "and I'm always early."

He scuttles through the dugout bunker, flicking on some lights. It took months for me to find this place, a secure rebellion hideout. For someone in the resistance, Ehrihn's especially paranoid about being discovered. He slid further into the room on his four base legs, wearing typical rags and concealed blasters. 

"You ain't leaving without this," he waves a thumb drive in his green hand. 

"What kind of information you got?"

"The basic security stuff on several weapon factories. The resistance was able to track some captured members to hidden prisons, but we don't have the forces here to get them out."

"So you want me to do it," I say with an unamused look on my face. He extends the thumb drive. Despite the deal for it, I take it.

"I can't make ya do anything, but if you want information it does come at a price," something like a sigh came out of his neck gills, "there are a few quintessence shipment routes, but there aren't delivery times. There is a future ship signal on there for the Garlan general, Thruxon. That one is risky though if the Garla finds out about a leak." He keeps going on about locations, their security, and shipment routes but he already finished off the interesting stuff. Plugging it into my own device, I pull up more on the closest prison.

It's another few minutes before he finishes, "the list on here should keep you busy for a while, but I can contact you if something big comes up."

"I can find out on my own, I'll start with the prison in the Third Triage quadrant asteroids in two quintants. It’d be convenient if resistance ships were nearby to retrieve them after I get them out."

"I know there are ships docked nearby that aren't set to leave for a while." Leon brushed against my right leg, we need to leave. 

Slipping the device into my bag, I move for the tunnel, "Anything else?"

He scratches at his gills before answering, "You've probably heard about Voltron by now, with their big fight challenging Zarkon." Understatement The whole universe has been whispering about their return along with some lost Alteans. "Rumor has it that they're in the Second Triage quadrant near the end of the asteroid belt. If the Garlan prison broadcasts an alarm signal, they'll probably be tipped off."

"So I won't trip the alarm," I nudged Leon and he leaped back up the tunnel. 

The last thing I saw was a shock in Ehrihn's eyes as I leave. I still remember the exciting rumors on resistance channels when Voltron appeared. Any member of the rebellion would be thrilled to work with them. 

But I’m not a member of the resistance. I’m just trying to stop the Garla Empire from taking the only family I have left.

-

_“Hey Ev, what do you mean you’re leaving?”_

_“Just what I said, Lance. I’m going to find my father’s family. Mama told me where they are, and Leon is going to take me to them.” The night chill begins to seep through the blanket wrapped around us. Shivering, I scooted closer to Lance._

_The stars reflected in his eyes, “Why do you need to leave earth though?”_

_“Mama said that they lived in the stars, I want to find them.”_

_"You have me, and our family here," the sadness in his voice clenches at my heart. It almost makes me want to stay._

_"I already told you when mama died, she wanted me to do this. As much as I want to stay, I need to find out who I am."_

_"I know that, but you're my favorite cousin. I'm going to miss you," even though I remain quiet, the tight hug I pull him into lets him know that I'll miss him too. After a few moments in silence, Lance starts to drift off to sleep. I've told Lance almost every secret I had. What he doesn't know is that this night sleeping out on the roof is going to be my last one on earth. I'd already packed my bags, but that's in the morning. I lay down next to Lance, trying to get a good night’s rest._

_But I don’t sleep well. I can’t toss turn with Lance right by me, so I just lay still._

_Eventually, he rolls away taking the blanket with him. I pull away, checking the time. 3:47 a.m._

_Without making a sound I crawled down the roof. Moving slowly in the dark, I felt around for the window well. Under the leaves was my duffle bag. It took weeks to decide what I'd bring. Everything nonessential had to be left behind._

_The only sentimental things were three photos. One of my parents, one of my mama and I, and one of me and Lance,_

_As soon as I had the bag I ran. Out the gate and along the street. Soon the street ended and the dry sand began. In the distance, I could see a dim white light. He was waiting where we agreed. When I reached him my breath was already gone._

_Leon._

_He was so eager to fly again, he wanted me to be his pilot. Mama said that before my dad died it was his. Leon didn't look like a ship, not at this size anyway. He was a robotic lion, a bit larger than a house cat. _

_Currently, we were out in the desert. It was still dark out but the stars were fading and there was a dim glow to the east. It was miles away from home where Lance was still asleep on the roof. _

_Leon nudged my knee, pulling my gaze away from the house was the distance. He started to walk away, and then the shift happened. Mama had only shown me once when I was younger, it took my breath away Leon glowed as he expanded, growing larger. He glimmered, stretching as if he had been cramped for too long._

_Soon he stood forty feet tall. _

_Then he lowered his head to me, opening his jaw. After one last look back, I strode into the cockpit. Placing my bag on the floor, I went immediately to the seat, placing my hands on the controls. Our connection flowed between us, he was more than just a ship. More than his parts, he was alive. Through Leon's eyes, he gazed up at the brightening sky. _

_"Leon lets fly."_

_We took off, coordinates on the monitor popped up. It'd take a while, but soon we'll make to there. To the planet where my father came from. _

-

It takes a while to walk away from the city. Despite the prosperity of the place everything outside it was a barren wasteland. Side effects of the Galran Empire draining up the resources and leaving an empty shell.

Leon walked beside me before he ran ahead. He grows and shifts into his full ship form, letting me in.

We took off, soaring as one of the planet's suns begins to rise. From the monitor, a counter for seven vargas shows up. Enough time for me to get there and scout out the place before I need to sleep again.

Pulling up the info on the prison there's a list of resistance prisoners there at the bottom, two of them.

Leon takes control when I let go of the handles. Getting up from the chair, I go further back to the small storage area. It was mostly food rations, old information, and some spare medical supplies. In the middle though was a neatly folded uniform.

The White Paladin armor.

It looked identical to the ones that the Voltron Paladin’s wore, except there was no coloring. Reaching out my fingers trace the helmet that sits on top.

Somethings aches inside Leon and I when I look at it. It’s hard to squash down the feeling. Grabbing one of the ration tubes, I go sit back upfront.

Stars fly past and the quiet engine sounds lead to a comfortable silence. It’s been four years since I left earth. Lance is probably sixteen, maybe seventeen depending on the time of year. I wonder if he made it into the Galaxy Garrison. He always wanted to go and explore the other planets. Thinking about him in space hurts though with the constant war and subjugation.

Last time the Garrison had a big space mission they had only sent a ship with humans to one of Saturn’s moons. It would be a long time before humans passed the edge of their galaxy and into this chaos though.


	2. Breakout

Chapter 1 : Breakout

It was a smart place for a prison. Well-hidden, with only one normal entry point. The G alra had hollowed out a larger asteroid in the belt. There were only a few visible indications that I had the right place, a small ship port and broadcasting antenna. 

Drone sensors would come out every quarter  varga to do a scan of the perimeter, they couldn ’ t scan far though. Likely some of the minerals in the asteroids nearby dampened signal transmissions. They had to load their data into the antenna, which would make it eas ier for me to disable communications. 

Leon crouched down, sinking further back into the cave. It ’ d been thirty  vargas since I ’ d received info on this place. Giving myself a time limit of two  quintants was constraining. Not the worst odds I ’ ve had though . Whatever even injured I know I can make it out of here. 

Leon ’ s eyes watched the drone sensors fly below us. They went to the antenna, transmitting their report, then setting off again. 

Alright time to do this. 

Fifteen  doboshes until I head in. Le aving the pilot t seat, I headed to the back. Grabbing the helmet, I set it aside, first slipping into the paladin bodysuit. It fit perfect as ever. Then I threaded my fingers through my hair, untangling the knots. Separating it into three sections, I  wove them into a tight braid. The helmet then slides on easily, braid tucked tightly in.

Suiting up for battle always sent a thrill through my bones. Always made me think about them. Would you be proud of me, mama,  papa ? 

Probably not.

Mindlessly the rest of my gear slips on, a small revo lver on my waist, two knives tucked into my boots and a data scanner in a belt pocket. Lastly, a thick black cloak that went down to my knees. As much as I enjoy white, it's not stealthy among the  Galras ’ purple aesthetic

Double checking that the vacuum seal on my helmet is tight, Leon opened his jaws. T hen I'm dragged out into the weightless abyss. Leon shifts smaller, taking me down to the floor of the asteroid cave. 

It's another few  doboshes before the drone sensors dock again. When they leave, we move in. 

Flying quietly first to the antenna. Near the bottom was a maintenance panel, a few shots from my revolver and can be pried it loose. Ah, there's the glowing red communications wire. Another clean shot and the line is dead. Once the rest of the wires are pushed aside, there's a small standard  heat ventilation shaft. It gets up to near boiling in ventilation shafts, but a paladin suit can withstand the temperature for a while. 

Sinking my way below, it's a snug fit. Leon waits atop, pulling the maintenance panel back up with his claws and chewing on the other wires. Slowly lowerin g myself, it ’ s a few meters before my foot hits something. A small bump out makes the shaft an even tighter squeeze. The heat is starting to creep into the suit, quickly taking out one of my knives I wedge it between the wall and the bump-out. After a fe w ticks and blind stabbing, it gives way. Inching my way back up the door swings open downward. 

Once I make it into the hallway, I knock twice, hand outstretched. Leon dropped down and I pulled him through. We both take a minute to cool down in the hall. 

My eyes scanned across the area we  emerged too. Likely near power generator room, that means fewer robots, but there would be  Galran Technicians. Keeping low to the ground and my ears open, I picked up faint noises coming from the left. 

In a flash I'm pressed against the support pillar, Leon dimmed his lights and crouched.

One tick,

Two

Three.

Four-they pass, three of them. Clearly technicians by their markings. No visible weapons on them.

Lunging I go for the one closest. Activating my  bayard , a spear pierced his back. One down. 

Ripping it out, the others looked shocked. Using their hesitation, I strike at another one.

Pivoting and swinging the spear it lodged in one of their necks. It slices deep enough through to hit a crucial vein. Kicking off his torso, the spearhead comes o ut.

Two dead. 

A prickle on my necks makes me leap away, right as the last  Galra swiped his claws at me. He jumped back as well, fury in his yellow eyes. When he shifts his back foot I charge, rotating my spear around. As he reached out for me I drop an d slide to his left. The spearhead caught on his ankle and a scream rips out of his throat. Using one leg I stopped my momentum and push my body. My other leg stomped on him, shattering his ankle. Yanking my spear back, before I rammed i t between his ribs. 

That's when his screams stopped. The dark purple hallways were silent. Leon came out, walking ahead down to the right. My own leg stings, but I jog after him leaving the corpses in the hall for someone to find. Car efully looking down a hallway to the right, there's a set of doors and a pair of droids.

They're close, maybe a dozen feet. 

Placing my collapsed  bayard on my belt I take the revolver out. Stilling my breathing I whip around the corner. 

One-shot to the neck and one of them goes down. The other raises his blaster, but I duck and roll before his shots reach me. Turning over near their legs, my gun already raised. 

One-shot to the head and his body crashes to the floor. 

Switching out my re volver for my  bayard again. Leaning on the wall just before the door opens.

“ What is  tha -, ” the moment a body steps out I send my spear at its thigh. Instead of going down though, their eyes immediately lock on me. Pushing back off the wall, I gain more distance from him. The cut I made barely hindered him as he charged toward me. 

"HOW DARE YOU." 

Shit.

I'm pushed to the defensive as he starts firing his cybernetic arm. How many high ranking Galra have to be cyborgs. Curse words flurry through my mind as I concentrate all of my agility on dodging. He's fast, and a fighter.

Soon I'm forced to dive beneath him. He takes too much time turning around, his mistake. I'm able to cut his forearm and part of his side. He launched out his arm a hairsbreadth away from tearing into my stomach. He starts to o verreach, from his own speed and aggression. Another opening.

Shifting my grip on my spear, I redirect it into his chin. As it shoved him back he gets angrier. His anger is worthless though as I get another blow in.

Making sure the flat head of the spear  hits him, he stumbles. The hits aren't powerful enough to knock him out, but even he can last through an onslaught. 

Not letting up I hit him again and again, knocking him back onto his knees.  Then his legs, and after a few more hits he sagged to the ground. Out cold. 

By now my breaths are heavy, desperate for more oxygen. But I can't stall, grabbing his arm I pull it over to the screen pad. The door opened and I drag the  Galra through. When doors shut and I get to work. Dropping down I tug at the metal ar ound his arms. 

Tripping the release mechanism the arm disconnects from his shoulder. I yank at the wires making sure it's unusable. Then I have to drag him closer to the monitor, unlocking it. 

Taking out the data scanner this time I plug it in the drive.  It pulls out every scrap of info then destroying what ’ s on the server. Transport ship codes and prisoner data logs fly across the tiny screen. Forty-three prisoners in total. 

A feral smile spreads from my lips.  Galra systems start to go down when I activated the viru s. 

Grabbing the main speaker icon I pull up a prison wide link,  “ Attention prisoners, in a few moments your cell ’ s power will be shutting down and you ’ ll be free. I ’ ve already disabled most of the security systems and knocked out the warden. Everyone mak e your way to the ship port, I ’ ll get all of you out of here and onto a ship out of here but hurry. ”

The feed cuts and a few moments later the data scanner finishes downloading everything. 

Taking out my spear I smash the keyboard. Taking the  Galra ward en back over to the door I use his hand to get back out. 

Leon waits outside, the bodies of four newly chewed up droids sit in the hallway. Even as tiny as two feet tall he ’ s fierce. 

“ Good boy, we need to get down to the ship port. ” Feeding the device in to a port on the back of his neck. His eyes light up as he downloaded a layout map.

He ran to the right and I follow. Soon he found the stairs leading down. The port has to be close, the asteroid itself isn ’ t that large. 

A small whirring noise draws my eyes to  Leon, he ’ s slowed down. Focusing back on my surroundings, up ahead there was a group of prisoners. All of them were, a quick tally of forty-three, slowly backing up from even more soldiers. 

Great.

Sneaking through the back I startled some of the aliens, the soldiers, however, don’t spot me. Taking a small pause behind the aliens in front, breathe.

Bursting through, I stay low, knocking some people behind as their guns zero in on me. Whipping my spear forward it cut through one of the guns and forced the other two into the wall. The one w hose gun I sliced swings for a punch.

Throwing up my forearm I don ’ t try to stop the momentum. Flying backward I grab back onto my spear. Just in time for it to make contact with his waist, ripping through it. Blood splattered all over my cloak. 

My feet skid as I am thrown into the wall. I don ’ t get a chance to pause though.  A soldier rushed over his comrade ’ s bleeding body. 

Come on legs, I turn over to the side. His as claws sank into the wall where my head was. 

Dropping my spear to the side he takes his  eyes off me for a split second. Big mistake.

Taking a knife from my boot, I launched myself. It drove into his throat. Blood spurts out of his mouth as we both fall down. 

Pulling out my knife I look around at the prisoners. Most look terrified, all of them in purple shirts and black bodysuits. T of them on the other side of the hallway though have picked up the discarded guns. The last soldier was unconscious at their feet, two shots in his chest. 

Getting the discarded spear I move to stand in front of the g roup,  “ You two with guns, I take it your resistance members? ”

They both nod,  “ I ’ m  Yashri and she ’ s  Manir . Are you here to free us? ” Yashri looks like a hybrid species, but  Manir was clearly an  Olkari . 

“ Yes, we don ’ t have time to talk. Cover the back and m ake sure nothing follows us, ” turning my attention on the other few dozen aliens,  “ All of you will follow me to ship port, I can hack the transport ships and fly us out. Then you ’ ll all get taken to resistance ships to get far away from here. ”

Leon moves  through the crowd and tugs at my leg. My breath is shaky as I stride down the hall. Now my left leg is throbbing, my ribs too. There ’ s no time to think about this now. I can ’ t afford to be distracted by pain. The breakout has gone well so far but there ’ s still an underlying sense dread. Normally I only had me and Leon to worry about, but there are dozens of shuffling feet behind me. 

After a few more twists and turns, Leon stopped in front of a set of doors. Instead of finding something with  Galra genes I go for the less stealthy option. Smashing the entire keypad. 

Stabbing my spear in-between the doors I start to force it open,  “ Come on,  let ’ s help her. ” Some of the larger prisoners join in, prying the door to fully open.

Using my spear to hold the doors  apart,  “ Everyone through, quickly. ”

Yashri and  Manir go through last, and I change my spear back into its  bayard form placing it on my belt. The doors crash together, sparking purple electricity. 

Only three ships are docked. Two of them are clearly fo r supply transport. The other one looked like a small battleship, probably the wardens . Taking out my scanner I plug it into the side of the transport ship. A bit of scrambling it unlocks the ship codes. 

“Hey Yashri, Manir, do you guys know how to fly?” 

“ I do,  Yashri doesn ’ t, ” Manir spoke.

Great, she stepped up the ship I just unlocked,  “ Can any of you fly? ” Most of the prisoners shook their heads.

An orange reptilian man moves forward,  “ I know some, but it has been a long time since I have flown. ”

“ Good enough, for now, you ’ ll follow  Manir ’ s ship with Yashri , ” the second ship unlocked and I wave my hand for him to enter. The port has one of those selectively permeable barriers. Thank  dios I don't have to manually hack it. As soon as the ships are online without trackers, we ’ re out of here. 

Getting out of here with any problems would be a miracle , no job is ever that perfect. My hands rest on the  bayard and revolver.  All of the other aliens that had been nervously standing around eagerly rush into the ships. Even though the ships are rather small, everyone should fit. 

As everyone gets situated Leo n makes a motion of pricking his ears up. Aches and pains flare through my body as I take a defensive stance. The main doors are still sparking but otherwise still. Everyone freezes as I take out my revolver and spear. 

Above and to the left, a door opened  on the upper balcony. Pointing my gun I fire a few shots. None hit. Whatever came through though was quick enough to dodge. I kept firing as they ran along the railing. 

They threw themselves over with only one arm. Shit, the warden. One of my shots fin ally hits his shoulder as he falls. It doesn ’ t kill him, but his grunt of pain lets me know he ’ s hurt and exhausted. 

He lands, right into his ship. 

Uneasy dread creeps back in my nerves. 

The ship blared its alarms. Fuck.

“ Everyone get out, NOW! ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It'll be a another chapter or two before Voltron comes into the picture.  
Peace Readers.


	3. Chapter 2: I Tripped the Alarm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Voltron

Chapter 2: I Tripped the Alarm

“Everyone out, NOW!”

My shout ripped through the port. Adrenaline and spite flood through my veins. The one thing I didn’t want happening was getting caught. Not now, not when I was so close.

He started to fire up the ship, oh hell no you don’t. Launching forward I went straight for the engine. My spear hacked away at it. Heat singed holes into my cloak. Leon bounded through the gap in new shreds of metal.

When the ship started to take off, I panicked. Then, not even ten feet off the ground in plummets back down. Its sheer force of landing knocked me back a few good meters. 

A smug white lion emerged, a detached fuel line hanging limply in his mouth. 

"Good boy, thank you," he pranced over, concern emanating from him, "I'll be okay. Standing behind to an engine to destroy it wasn't that smart a move."

Pressing myself up was more difficult than I anticipated. There was now a dull pounding in my head. And ribs, and too many other places to count. 

In the corner of my eye, I saw that the transport ships lighting up. Good, they're almost out of here. 

The paladin armor is smudged with dried blood and scuff marks. The cloak I was using to disguise it is full of holes. Miraculously, my hood is still on. A frustrated growl pulled me away from my assessment.

Right, that asshole’s still alive. 

Everything hurt as I moved to stand between the ships. Like hell I'd let him kill another person. Practically stumbling as I walked, Leon had to guide my steps. The sound of the supply ships taking off lets the tension in my body seep away.

They’re out, safe.

A clanging focused my attention back on the ship. He’s ripped through the top of it. A new cybernetic arm gleamed in the purple light. Dark smudges litter his fur, none of them were actively bleeding though. 

He landed on the floor. Aggression has overridden any sense of pain or strategy in him. My spear was ready in my hands. 

“What are you,” his voice seething, “you aren’t like the rebels. Skilled, murderous, a soldier perhaps? Mercenary?”

“As if I’d ever tell you and your terrible interrogation skills,” he had the audacity to look affronted at the tone, “I’d think you would have more important concerns than what I am.” 

“It doesn’t matter, does it? You’ll die soon enough,” he commenced an attack with his glowing arm. Pushing to the left the fight began.

He’s strong, quick, but nowhere near as much from our previous fight. There are mistakes emerging in his fighting style, he must be rusty from being out here too long. Even so, he’s bloodthirsty, and any hit I do manage to get in only makes him angrier.

With as worse for wear as he’s was, I’m just as bad. It’s taking all I have to avoid his claws. Still, I’m slowing down, slipping up. There are even more cuts through my cloak. At this point its threads of fabric. 

For now, we’re evenly matched, “DUCK!”

What?

I’m yanked to the left, into the snarling face of the warden. His fist clenching my cloak. SHit, I reverted my bayard, forcing it between us. We’re thrown apart as it expanded back into a spear.

A shot goes off. It connected to the side of his head. The warden finally went down. A breath of relief left my lungs. 

“Who are you?”

Turning my head, I see first a gun. My eyes met with the one holding it.

The blue paladin.

-

It was a slow day for Voltron, surprisingly.

They’d just finished liberating a planet and went through the motions of helping them recover. The red paladin was in the healing pod for a few hours because of a wrist fracture. Not that important though, every paladin had been in there at some point. 

“Dios why can’t there be a distress signal or something,” Lance currently was dramatically lounged over his seat at the table. 

"You want a distress signal," Hunk commented, he was setting out a new food goo concoction, "this is one of the first breaks we've had in forever."

"I know, I know. I'm just getting jumpy." 

"Well I happy to finally time to work on my Galra tracker," Pidge was fiddling with some piece of tech. 

"Getting to rest has been helpful," Allura spoke, "I've been doing unending negotiations to set up their former government." She looked the most worn out of all of them.

Shiro pulled up his seat, accepting a plate from Hunk, "We did well on this last mission, and we should take the break while we can get it to figure things out from here." A subtle glance is sent to Keith's direction. He was here at the table, but his mind was still on what happened with the Blade of Mamora.

Lance let a dramatic sigh out, "Yeah, yeah. I know but it's been days without a mission. I just wanna get back out there. You agree with me right Keith. Keith?"

The red paladins pulled from his thoughts, "Yeah, it's strange not be doing anything." He wanted a mission more to escape his thoughts about his knife rather than boredom.

Hunk moved over to sit down, not even getting a bite in as a castle alarm went off. 

"Why did you have to go and jinx it, Lance." 

"Finally!" Lance's chair skids back as he leaped to his feet.

"Calm down, that isn't a distress alert," Allura says, pulling herself up slower, "That alarm means we intercepted a Galran signal. I don't know why one would be out here though, this planet was the only nearby that was under Galra control."

"I don't care, it still sounds like something." 

"Lance is right, we should at least see what it is." Shiro sets down his food, heading for the communications room. The rest of the paladins and Allura made their move to follow. 

"....Well, that's strange, Princess come over here, look at this," Coran was still at the monitor doing castle diagnostics. 

"What is it, Coran?"

"It does appear to be a distress signal, but...," he trailed off, twirling his mustache in one finger.

"But what, let's go check it out," Lance interjected.

"The thing is it's from a Galran lieutenant ship. It was heading for the main ship that presided over the Vrunqrion planet. I managed to lock on to the signal and prevent it from going to the next closest Galra base." 

Everyone was puzzled. Galra ships hardly ever sent out unencrypted signals, let alone a distress call.

They all watched the repeating frequency signal, "Hey lemme take a look at that." Pidge scrambled up to the display. She started rapidly type, manipulating the repeating frequency. 

"What are doing Pidge?" Shiro inquired.

Her eyes kept focused on the screen, "This frequency is unprotected. Normally I can only get a message and a location. But if I trace this back to where it's originating, then...YES!"

Suddenly they were all looking at the inside of a ship, where a bleeding Galra was at the controls. 

**"I swear by Emperor Zarkon I won't let these filthy prisoners escape**," his voices came out.

From what they could see, his ship was about to take off. The engine started, but it was only a few moments before red lights flashed against the Galran's skin. A small robotic voice in the ship repeated engine failure over and over again.

"** NO, that vermin **," the frame shook, and started to glitch out as the ship crashed, "I going to kill them." The image cut out, the last frame a disturbing shot. A cybernetic arm was ripping through the roof, blood lust clear in his yellow eyes. 

"Paladins suit up." Shiro's voice tore them all away from the image. Voltron needed to get ready for a fight.

Barely ten doboshses passed before they arrived. As the lions exited the castle they started to look around, weaving through asteroids. 

"Anyone see anything?"

"No, something here is making the signal's go on the fritz Shiro," replied Pidge. The signal had lead them to a section of the asteroid belt. Not long after they entered though the connection began to fritz out and Voltron was left to blindly search.

It's another few ticks before Keith called out, "Hey guys I got something, it looks like two supply ships."

Everyone converged toward him, and there were indeed two small supply ships. One was slowly following the lead of the other. 

Shiro spoke up, "Hey Princess can you open a communication link with them."

"Already on it." Each of the lion’s screen displays light up. What showed up was an Olkari dressed in Galran prisoner clothes. Dozens of people were behind her in the same attire. 

"Hello, this is the Black paladin of Voltron speaking, who are you?"

"Oh, thank goodness, my name is Manir a member of the resistance we need your help paladin."

"Alright Manir, what's going on? We intercepted a Galran distress signal coming from here."

"All of us here were held captive in a hidden prison in this asteroid belt. Just a varga ago one person came and freed us. They disabled security and took out soldiers. We've been trying to get out of these asteroids but the other man piloting the ship is less experienced."

"Who broke you out? Another resistance member?"

Manir shook her head, "No, not anyone that I recognized. They wore a cloak at all times and used a spear. Whomever they were, they were a fierce fighter. We owe are lives to them."

A sad atmosphere spread over the prisoners, "Where's this person now?"

"We had to leave without them after they single-handedly stopped the Warden's ship from taking off. The Warden himself, however, was still alive with them when we left," she paused, "Their current status is unknown."

"Manir we'll have the castle pick up your ships, we'll head into the prison."

When the feed cuts Hunk spoke, "Hey guys, I found it. It looks to be in rough shape though. I think I can see someone fighting on the inside." The yellow lion gazed at a small port, the wreckage of a ship inside.

The rest of Voltron approached the ship port sticking out of an asteroid.

"Alright, I'm leaving my lion and heading in," said Shiro.

"I'm coming to, you might need back up in there," Lance piqued up. Both the blue and black lion set down at the port entrance. Lance and Shiro went without their lions, they were too big to fit in the port's entrance.

When they pass through the barrier they're met with the scene of a violent fight. The Galran Warden clashing with a figure with a shredded cloak and spear. Both are so intensely focused on each other that they hadn't even noticed the paladins' entrance. Their speed was incredible. Lunging, dodging, and attacking with the intent to kill each other.

Lance pulled out his bayard, forming a rifle, "I got the warden, DUCK!"

The figure was caught off guard, and the Galra got the upper hand. His hand chocked the cloaked figure. Soon they're forced apart, the Galra's hold tore the cloak off the figure.

Lance nailed the shot. When the mysterious rescuer turned to them, Shiro and Lance both lost their breath.

They were smudged in blood, grime, but it was clearly paladin armor the rescuer was wearing.

White paladin armor.

-

“Who are you?” the blue paladin asked. And the black one is just behind him. If two of them are here the rest must be nearby.

Leon barreled into me, worry filling his mind.

Pulling him close to my chest, "I'm alright, I'm alright. We're okay." He hasn't seen them yet.

I can feel the disapproving stare he gave me, "Maybe not okay, we're alive. I'm sorry Leon, I got reckless...Look to your right." He registered the paladins. If he had fur it'd be standing up on end.

"Why do you have paladin armor?"

"Take a wild guess," it came out snarkier than I meant, my patience was thin. Standing up I removed the remaining shreds of the cloak. No point in the thing now. Taking my spear back into bayard form I clipped it on my waist. 

"Is that a lion? It’s so small," the blue paladin was the more childish of the two. I'd heard that black leads them, not that rumors are reliable. There's too many surrounding Voltron to know what's true.

"Who are you?" this time black was the one to ask.

"You've already asked that,” doesn’t mean I’ll answer this time.

"Alright then, were you the one who to free the prisoners?"

"Yes."

Black frowned at my refusal to talk. Blue was still trying to get a closer look at Leon, who'd hidden behind my legs.

It's an uncomfortable silence. I made no move to break though. Leon was wrapped in nerves, leaning on my calves for support. He's told me some of his histories with Voltron. Most of it, however, sends him to a dark place. 

The blue one broke the tension, "Hey, will you come back to the castle with us? The Princess and Coran should've picked up the supply ships with the prisoners by now." He's got an awkward smile on. Something about his voice tugged at me. Like I've heard it before.

If I went with them, they'd start asking questions. Ones that I'm keen on not answering. On the other hand, I don't exactly have anything going for me if I try to escape. I can hardly move. The closest inhabited planet, Vrunqrion, has had Voltron all over it recently. If I ran they’d probably go after me, and I definitely can’t fight off another five people in this condition. 

"Please, we won't start asking questions till this mess is over." 

Lance. He sounds like Lance. My breath hitched, I barely remember what he even sounded like. No, the blue paladin can't have his voice. It pulled at my heart, my eyes getting wet.

I gazed down at Leon, what do you think? Whatever you choose I'll follow.

It took him a moment, but he reluctantly nodded. Alright then. We’ll go with Voltron. I know how hard this must be for you _ mi, Leon _ _ Blanco_.

"Alright, I'll go with you, but no asking questions."


	4. Ch.3 It Can’t Be You, (but please be)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She figures it out, Lance hasn’t.

Chapter 3: It Can’t Be You, <strike>(but please be)</strike>  
Alright I’ll go with you, but no asking questions.” 

After that, it was quiet. Steadily, an engine could be heard approaching. Is it the castle ship they mentioned? 

The question answered itself as a ship appeared outside the port

I’m actually doing this, small pricks of anxiety passed over my entire body. Black and Blue returned to their lions, guiding them gently into the bay. Leon and I followed silently with a wide berth. 

From I set phone in the ship it was numb. I went on autopilot. Too late to back out now. 

Nearly falling over, I trudged behind them into the castle. It was an intimidating ship, as large as some of the Galra cruisers. The port might have been able to house the prison asteroid; the two transport ships were docked neatly in the corner. 

Lions sat in a circle facing the center, Voltron lions. Their lights were off, not one of them moved but it only increased my panic. Pain throbbed in my legs with every step, whatever blessing of numbness there had been was gone now. Paranoia from years of fighting, running, surviving set in. I should’ve bolted, scooped up Leon and flung myself out of the airlock. Why’d I have to go and get nostalgic? On earth, I’m considered missing, likely pronounced dead. I don’t have any right to get sentimental. Especially not over him. 

Leon’s tail coiled around my right leg, we’re here. 

Across the floor was three more paladins, what must be two Alteans, and the escaped prisoners. 

And we’ve been spotted. 

Great. 

Yashri shuffled over to me, a weary smile on his face, “You’re alive, we thought we’d left you for dead.”

I forced myself to relax in his presence, “I’m fine, are the rest of you okay?”

“Yeah, only cuts and bruises. It was really lucky that Voltron showed up when they did,” his hand tugged on mine. Luck, yeah right. 

“Come on I’ll introduce you to them.” I would resist if I could, but any energy in me was fumes at this point. Like a ragdoll, Yashri pulled me over to everyone. 

Voltron looked less egotistical in person. They were close to my size the green was shorter though. All of them appeared human shaped, but there are many species that do. It’s surreal, watching the paladins I had spent a year avoiding stand only a few feet away as if they were regular people talking.

“They’re alright everyone!” The reptilian pilot and Manir rushed up to me first, after Yashri called out. From then I was passed around to all of the ex-prisoners, accepting their thanks. 

“No wonder Voltron came, you’re a paladin,” one of the smaller prisoners, a young adult spoke up. The friendly atmosphere immediately shrank away. 

“You’re a paladin?” Manir asked, eyeing the white armor. If the other paladins weren’t paying attention before they certainly are now. 

Everyone was silent, expecting me to answer, “No, I’ve never had an association with Voltron. Today was the first quintant we’ve crossed paths.” Thank  _ dios _ my voice was steady. To my own relief most of the prisoners drop the comment. Manir and Yashri don’t look convinced, but neither are willing to kick up a fuss. Most of them were more worried about what to do next.

Eventually they all backed off, discussing what comes after they’re dropped off. 

“So you’re the one who helped the prisoners escape,” the female Altean spoke. There’s a diplomatic smile on her face, but her body looks like it’s ready to crumble. She hide her exhaustion well, I hope they can’t see mine.

“Yes, I am.” Everyone stiffened, still staring my armor. My helmet is fully closed; they shouldn’t be able to make out my face. 

“Alright am I gonna be the one to say it, they’re wearing paladin armor. It’s clearly paladin armor,” Yellow breaks the silence.

“We don’t know that for sure Hunk, it could just be something that looks like it,” Green retorts.

“How do you explain the bayard and the lion then? There’s no way that’s a coincidence.” Turns out Red was the only one who caught sight of Leon. He’s still pressed tightly against my legs. The other three notice his presence before having their own shock. 

Slow reaction times for people as feared as Voltron. They seemed like normal teenagers. It was almost as if the war hadn’t sunk in. Maybe they had only really been fighting for a year. The earliest recorded appearance was saving a Balmera colony. 

“HEY.” Startled, I pushed back and unclipped my bayard. Taking a low and defensive stance, I formed my spear in the space between. 

“Jeez, didn’t mean to scare ya,” Blue held his hands up in surrender. He and Black have joined up with the other paladins and the Altean. It’s quiet behind me, the prisoners aren’t in the room anymore. Dammit, I got distracted. 

“Careful Lance, they’re bound to still be on guard.”

Lance. 

Blue’s name is Lance. 

He has tan skin, and ocean blue eyes. Now without a helmet covering his face there’s messy brown hair on top of his head and a beauty mark on his face. 

Just like my Lance. 

But, no, it can’t be. He’s on earth. He’s in the Galaxy Garrison. He’s safe. 

But he looks like, sounds like. 

I nearly choke when I heard him crack a joke to the others. Can he really be…their laughter painfully rang in my head.

Can’t breathe, spinning, it’s spinning. A wave of nauseas, bile climb in my throat as I’ve look back. 

Childish, always the prankster. Even as my thoughts began to drown me, they still chatter carefree. All of me wants to deny the possibility, the impossibility of it, but deep in the back of my mind, I know it’s him. 

-

_ “Come on Evelyn, you can do it,” she strikes again. This time I brought my own staff up to meet it, keeping the proper stance in mind. Mama and I always train in the afternoon _

_ Her staff was deflected, a smile wide on her lips, “Good job, it’s starting to sink in isn’t it.” _

_ “I feel like I’m getting better with the staff. I still like using the Papa’s knives more though.” _

_ She snickers, “You really are just like your father aren’t you.” _

_ I stay silent. I’ve never met my father. Instead, I reach for the glass of water on a nearby step. Between the sun and training I’m already covered in sweat. _

_ I offer her the glass, fidgeting nervously, “Can you tell me about him again?” _

_ She smiled sadly. There were always comments about how I was like him. Bits and pieces of a person I have never met. _

_ “Your father, I met him when I was young. I went out to a smoke trail in the distance, and there he was. He was hurt badly but tried to threaten me all the same. I offered to help him, not like he could do much stop me.” Love shone in her eyes. She gave food to my father, and let him rest at her apartment. She could tell he was an alien from the second she saw his eyes. Then she spent days questioning him, about space and where he had come from. Next thing they knew, he wore cheap sunglasses to cover his unnatural eyes and they lived together. He told her about space, the Galra, his people. She told him about her family, earth, love. They sounded like they were in love, but it can be hard to tell with only a few months. _

_ It takes a while to get through, sighs or blank stares interrupting the narrative. _

_ The wounds he came to earth with never healed right. They didn’t figure it out till it was too late.  _

_ He died, and my mother was the only one who mourned. A few weeks later she felt sick, tired. After going to a clinic, she found out about me. She was pregnant with a part alien baby.  _

_ I knew the rest of the story. I lived it.  _

_ She moved back to live by her grandparents and siblings. Many of them had kids within the same years.  _

_ She was the youngest daughter of  _ _ abuela _ _ , and unmarried. All of my aunts and uncles loved her dearly, but there were always the strange looks they gave us. An unspoken distance that was put in place before I was born.  _

_ That led us to this moment, practicing how to fight with a staff in the backyard of our tiny home.  _

_ Mama always looked beautiful to me, especially in the afternoon summer sun. Apparently, a lot people had a crush on her when she was younger. Nobody has in recently, not after her chemo treatments. Her hair was starting to come back in but she still looked rather sick.  _

_ “Alright that’s enough rest, staff up,” that was the only warning I got before we went back to practicing.  _

_ Mama still was always so strong, and I didn’t figure it out until it was too late. Her cancer came back, and she didn’t make it this time. I was eleven and she was gone.  _

_ Someone had to wrench me away from the hospital room, and send me to my aunt. I’d met a few of my cousins, Lance was my favorite though. We both loved space, loved the adventure. _

_ Nevertheless, there was still that unspoken distance, the pity in their eyes.  _

_ Without mama, I didn’t have anything keeping me here really. Never any friends at school and the visits to family were too short to ever get attached.  _

_ So, when the last words I heard from my mama were that my father had promised to bring her to space one day, I vowed to leave.  _

_ A year later, after training and preparing, I was gone.  _

_ Lance was the only thing I regretted leaving. The only thing that made me look back.  _

_ Wondering what he had done when he woke up on the roof alone. _

-

Lance POV-

“Um, can I use your sanitation room?” the fake white paladin asked. It was the first time they’d spoken since admitting they were not a paladin, their voice scratchy and strained. It was awkward having them just stand there, completely still. 

“Sure, I’ll show you to one of the empty rooms,” Hunk and Pidge began silently yelling and motioning at my back as we turned. What else am I supposed to do, let them stand there creepily covered in blood? 

Spinning on my heel they follow along with their adorable tiny lion, “So, if you aren’t a paladin, what are you?” 

There is no response other than a flinch in their shoulders. Yikes, jumpy. 

Two more turns down the corridor and were at the rooms, the one next to Pidge is free. I’ll stick them there for now. 

Finally, being alone with them was making me anxious, “Here’s a spare room, there’s a shower and sink inside the bathroom.” 

They stare blankly at the door as it opens, “Thanks, for bringing me here, Lance.” 

A shiver went down my spine as they said my name. It sounded familiar. Have we met before?

Yeah right. I just need some rest. 

-

“Thanks, for bringing me here, Lance.” 

The minute the door slides close, I crumble to the floor. I’m done, this is it for me. Rolling on my back, I check the room for cameras before slipping my helmet off. Working the suit of is extremely difficult, it has stuck to my skin like duct tape. 

My leg hurt now more than ever, removing the bandages shows a sickly brown color on my skin stitching itself back together. It’ll be find after I clean it out. There is the usual assortment on bruises showing up on my skin, no new shots or cuts though. That’s a plus. 

After a minute of poking around and I found a shower and sink. Moving the rest of my clothes and bandages off I stepped inside. 

The minute I flicked the lights on, my sickly face greeted me. A hint of a new bruise on my jaw stings the minute I look at it. Dull mismatched eyes, one ocean blue that appears even more painfully similar to the Blue paladin. 

The other on the right is a burning sunset, with a strange upside down yellow teardrop pupil inside it. A jagged pale line runs through it, from the middle of my eyebrow then twisting to the side of my nose. My eyes trace over scars on my neck, shoulders, and torso. There’s enough on my arms and hands it changes my skin color in some patches. Soon a new three marks will be on my calf, shot at gunpoint after being caught for setting a Galra factory to self-destruct. 

Would he even recognize me like this? Scarred, broken. 

He probably believes I’m dead. It wouldn’t be that much of a stretch to assume. I doubt anyone believes I’m alive. 

Before my thoughts spiral, I Leon pulls me out. Nudging at my leg with his nose. 

Sorry little lion, just thinking. Even with an unchanging face, I can feel his disbelief. 

I’ll be okay. We’ll be okay. 

Can you make sure no one comes in? I should clean up while I have the chance. 

He gave a small nod and left the bathroom. Slipping into the shower I let the water wash off the battle and blood. 

No matter how much I scrub at the skin the scars stay. 

They always stay. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, the author here. I go by Mads and welcome comments or criticism. Hope you enjoy the story, it's an idea that I'd been thinking about but finally got around to writing.   
Note: All of the flashbacks and Spanish will be in italics.  
Peace readers.


End file.
